A Tribute to the Black Experience in Church and School

I was born in 1951 in Salisbury, NC and was reared in a family of nine children by my father and mother. I am standing tall and still rising because of these two institutions.

In church, at the Thomas St. Church of Christ, in Salisbury, NC I went from BOB to MRE.

I learned the BOB-Books of the Bible at the age of 10 and today I have a MRE Masters of Religious Education degree from Shaw University Divinity School. My thirst for learing more and more about God, Christ, the church and how we should strtive to live started here at church. We were brought to Sunday school and church services by my parents, Thelma and Robert Givens. Thanks to them and the teachers at church, I was grounded in the basics and continued to build as time passed.

My school- Monroe Elmentary and Price Jr. Sr. High Schools are the focus of this tribute. Growing up and being educated in segregated schools with inadequate substandard text books and libraries, did not stop the dedicated and determined teachers wwho taught us to read the line and above and between. I remember being told, read everything your hands touch and this has been part of the driving force for me today. I would to name some of my teachers who sacrificed for us to succeed no matter the odds.